The Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure (DCAL) is the sponsor department for the Public Records Office for Northern Ireland (PRONI). The DCAL Minister is currently the minister responsible for decisions on release of records, this is planned to transfer to the new Department of the Communities later in 2016. 3. A consultation was launched on the 14 January 2016 running until the 22 February 2016, on a draft Statutory Rule on privileged access to information contained in court and inquest files.